Mechanism for adjusting the sensitivity of control apparatus



Jully @9 3 c. W. BRISTOL 2,00,M

MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING THE SENSITIVI'TY OF CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1934 Patented July 9, 1935 rari-mr ottici;

i :MECHANISM non AnJUsTrNG y run SENSI- 'rivrrr or kooN'raoL Airman-'rios `Car1ton Bristol, ,'Naugatuck, Conn., assigner y -to The Bristol Company, Waterbury,

Conn., a

corporation of Connecticut `.Aniilie,ation May 1, `1934, serial No. 723,328 13 claims. '(oizengm v In the automatic control of temperatures, pressures or otheryariablemagnitudes by control membersiof the l'aforesaid nature, it has been found thatowing tothel number of extraneous 1o? variables encountered, a` variety of relationships isdesirablebetw'een the-action of a responsive member regulating the control member and said oontrol-imernbeiz `Thus,a relationship between these members Whioh,-ur`ider yone group of asso- 13" ciatedconditions, might eiect a satisfactory control, might -underother conditions Vbring about a degree of sluggishness or liuntin`g'suiiicient to impairyand possibly-defeat, the purpose of the automatic control system. l

The invention' has for an `object thelprovision of a control4 couple embodying simple and eierctive Y mechanism I for' adjusting the sensitivity of said' couple and `wherebyr the aforementioned ob?- jectionable features may be eliminated.

provision of means whereby the "action of said control couplemay befreversed without necessitating any rstructural `alteration and with a minimumlof manipulation. Y 30 L `In'carrying out the invention, a control couple, of the general nature of that set forth in the aforesaid''Patent` #1,880,247, is 'arrangedto` have element' in different degrees 'and in `accordance with theparticular location of the means carryingthesaid orifice element of the couple. With d'iierent settings of4 this means, therefore, vthere 45" may. be'lobtained varying relationships between the action of the responsive element and that of the control couple of the system.'

While thisl result may be attained in a number of'ldiierent ways, itispreferred to utilizea con,- `trol couple which is'not exactly of the nature rof that set Yforth in the aforesaidLetters Patent, .vliereirrl the orificeelement is disclosed as being a`c`ljustable"`but rather a control couple such as isstforth'inore particularlyjin'a copending apf' `Another object of the invention resides in` thev A687,328, filed August 29, i933, jointly by me and ierry A. Borden; In this embodiment, the ad` Justment between the two elements of the control vcoupleis effected by imparting a "differential movement to the `movablevane element `of the 5,

couple. i i.

Such arrangement greatly simplifies the-carrying outwof4 the present invention, as provision need not be made to accommodate for movement in two senses. vThe contour-of` the vane-element is then made such as Vto assume various angles with its direction-of travel; andthe orifice element is arranged to `be shifted to different-locations in frelationto the said vane, whereby ya selectedangle of approach may be utilized. 15

g The nature of the invention, however, will best beunderstood when describedv in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: Y

Fig. l is -a `plan View illustrating `anv instrument casing, with cover removed, and showing the re-A tainedgnovel mechanism. i

Fig. 2 `is a fragmentary vertical section through the nozzle element of the control couple and support therefor, taken on the line 22, Fig. v1.

Fig. 3 ,illustrates on' an enlargedv scale i the geometricalarrangement and mode of ladjustment forvarying sensitivities in the action of the control couple. p

Referring to the drawing, Hl designatesan instrument casing for retaining the novel control mechanism which is `designed to be mounted upon the back or base `plate Il` of the casing. This mechanism comprises the usual Bourdon-tube l2 which isadapted to respond, for example, to pres. sure' changes of a` volatile fluid in a bulb' I3 llocated'atl some remote point and connectedthereto bynieans of a capillary tube Ill. The Bourdontube, .in response to Vthe variations in pressure of` the fluid in bulb I3 under changes in magnitude to which the bulb is exposed, is caused to deflect an index member l5 for indicating and/or record-y ing, if desired, the condition, for example oftlfiel temperature, to which the bulbV t3 is exposed-all of which is well understood `and forms no' particu-r lar-partfof the present invention. 45 i fixed in position relatively Yto the vane element I1, 55

Aas the pipe 22.

as by means of screws I8 adapted to iit into the base plate II and passing through slots I9 of circular plate 20 which carries the said oriiice element.

In accordance with the invention, the slots I9 are elongated and arcuate in order to admit of swinging plate 20, with the orifice element, about the center 2l or axis fr-:v of connection of the oriiice element to a source of iluid under pressure A passage 23 to this end is brought through the base plate and circular plate mounted thereover and communicates with interior passageways 24 which in turn communicate with the separated and opposed nozzles 25 of the orifice element.

Provision is made, also, as by tapping the base plate at the positions 26, to admit of bodily shifting the nozzle element with its circular carrying plate to a different position for sensitivity Variation, but in a reverse sense. Thus, by means of said screws I8, the circular plate 20 with its nozzle element may be clamped in any desired position, over a predetermined angle, and for cooperation with its vane element in a manner either to effect an increase or a decrease for a corresponding direction of movement of the vane.

The Vane element I1, which cooperates with the jets from the orifice element I6 to constitute the control couple, is, in the present embodiment, fixed to a shaft or spindle 30 with which it may be rotated through a limited angle in a manner to obstruct, more or less, the escape of fluid through the nozzles 25. The contour of the engaging edge 3l of the said vane I'I is conformed to an arc of a circle having its center in the rotational axis -x of the plate 26 when the said vane is in its neutral or optimum control position. The arcuate edge of the vane extends from a point slightly beyond that at which the tangent to the arc on one side of the median line c-c passes through the center of the spindle 39 to a similar point on the other side of the median line.

A lever arm 32, also affixed to the spindle 3B, serves to carry the fulcrum of a iioating lever 33, one extremity of which is operatively connected, by means of link 34, to an arm I5 extending oppositely to the index member I5 and integrally connected thereto and rotatable therewith under the innuence of the Bourdon tube I3. 'I'heother extremity of the oating lever 33 is connected by means of link 35 to a movable arm 36 which carries an index 3l at its one end and adapted to indicate with reference to a scale 38. By means of an adjustment screw 36, pivoted to a swivel block 40 on the arm 36 and threaded through a bloclr 4I swivelled on the base I I, the said arm 36 may be adjusted to and held at any desired point within the range of the instrument. This provides for a control point adjustment substantially identical with that disclosed in the aforesaid pending application Serial No. 687,326, and wherein the moving vane is caused automatically to seek an optimum position of control corresponding to the setting of the adjustable index.

With the circular plate and orifice element located by means of the screws I8 in the position shown in Fig. l, the said oriiice element may be adjusted to a position of maximum sensitivityas along the axis b-b, Fig. 3-or to a position of minimum sensitivity-as along the axis c cmerely by loosening the screws and suitably displacing the plate angularly. By resetting the plate 20 with the screws I8 located in the tapped openings 26, adjustment may be made through a similar range on the other side of the axis c-c over an angle to a position along the axis d-d. This adjustment, however, has the opposite effect, since a movement of the vane with respect to the orifice element thus located between the axes b-b and c-c and toward the latter would tends to cut oif the flow from the nozzles, while a movement from a position between the axes c-c and d-d would tend to increase the flow from the said nozzles.

This is more clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, in which the orice element I6 is indicated in full lines at an intermediate position of the adjustment, as along the axis a-a; and the vane element I'I is also indicated in full lines at an intermediate position of its normal travel.

The extremes of the vane when controlling are indicated by dotted lines at the positions e and ,'f, the range of movement under the influence of the responsive member I3 being such that with the orifice element located along the axis b--b in which position the edge of the Vane is substantially perpendicular to its line of travel-that portion of the edge which coacts with the vane is at a maximum radius from its center of rotation located in the axis of rotation of spindle 30. The vane may therefore move from a position where the orifices are just completely covered thereby, position e, to a position where the oriiices are substantially unobstructed, as at the position f.

If the orifice element, on the other hand, be positioned along the axis af-a, it will be noted that because of the Obliquity of the portion of the edge of the vane now coacting with the orificesas represented by the angle oc-and also because of the reduced radius of travel at this portion (from spindle 39 to positions 40, 4I and 42, respectively) a movement of the vane through the same angle as in the previous instance will eicct a much smaller proportionate change in the unobstructed area of the orifices.

If the orifice element be moved to the position along the axis c-c, as indicated by the dotted lines, in which the edge of the vane element is substantially parallel to its line of travel, movement of the vane through its entire range c, f, will produce substantially no change in the area of orifice opening. There is thus effected a change from maximum sensitivity, as along the axis b-b, to a zero or minimum sensitivity, as along the axis c-c.

A maximum sensitivity prevails also when the orice element is positioned along the axis d-d, as by shifting the plate 2G as hereinbefore set forth, with a sensitivity gradually diminishing to a minimum as the orifice element is positioned toward a location along the axis c-c.

I claim:

1.-In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-waste type embodying a normally stationary orifice element and an oscillatable vane element cooperating therewith in response to an actuation and having a cut-off edge of varying angularity in respect to its direction of movement, and means to xedly position the orifice elementkn dierent locations relative to said cut--oi edge whereby the degree of cut-off of said edge relatively to the extent of said actuation may be varied in accordance with the position of the orice element.

2. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-waste type embodying an angularly adjustable orifice element and an oscillatable vane element cooperating therewith in response to an actuation and having A Ui i Ui A,

a cut-off edge conforming to an arc about the center of angular adjustment of the orifice element and adapted for cooperation with an orifice the position of the orice element.

3. In uid actuated controller apparatus:v a

control couple of the supply-and-waste type em@ bodying an angularly adjustable orice element and a vane element oscillatable Yabout a fixed center di'lere'nt from the center about which the orifice element is angularly adjustable, said vane having a cut-ofi 'edge conforming to an arc about the center ofY angulary adjustment of `the orifice element and adapted for cooperation with 'an orifice thereof, and means to iixedly locate the orifice element in different adjusted positions relatively tosaid Vcut-olif edge, whereby the degree of cut-oli of said edge relatively to the extent of actuation may be varied in accordance with the position of said orice element.

4. `In fluid-actuated Vcontroller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-waste type em bodying a normally stationaryrorice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude of the condition controlled by said apparatus and having a cutofi edge of varying angularity in respect to its direction of movement, means to xedly position the orifice element in different locationsrelative to a cut-oi edge of the vane element whereby the extent of cut-ofi by said edge may be varied in accordance with the position of the orifice element, and means to displace the vane element about its center of oscillation.

5. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a contro-l couple of the supplyand-Waste type embodying a normally stationary orice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in ,respense to changes in magnitude of the condition controlled by said apparatus, means 'to iixedly position the orice element in different locations 'relative to a cut-oit edge of the vane element whereby the extent of cut-ori byV said edge may be varied in accordance with the position of the orifice element, and differential-lever means to displace the vane element about its center of oscillation.

6. In duid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supp1y-and-waste type embodying .a normally stationary orifice element provided with an orice and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude oi the condition controlled by said apparatus, and means to adjust the Obliquity of travel of anedge of the vane element relatively to the orifice of the orice element.

7. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the Vsupply--and-waste type enibcdying a normally stationary and angularly movable orifice element and an oscillatable lcooperating vane element having a cut-off. edge conforming to an arc about the center of angular movement of the orifice element, and means to adjust the radius at which the edge of said vane element coacts with an orifice ofthe said orifice element.

8. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a

control couple of the supply-andwaste type embodying a normally stationary and angularly movable orice element and an oscillatable cooperating vane element having a cut-01T edge conforming to an arc about the center of angular movementoi the orice element, and means to adjust the radius and angle at which the edge of said vane element coacts with an orifice of the said orifice element.

9. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-Waste type embodying a normally stationary and angularly movable orifice element andan oscillatable cooperating vane element having a cut-oli edge conforming to'an arc about the center of vangular movement of the orice element, and meansto adjustV simultaneously the radius and angle at which the edge of said vane element coacts with an orifice ofthe said orice element.

10. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-andwaste type embodying a normally stationary orice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude of the condi-l tion controlled Vby said apparatus, and means to secure the orifice element in two discrete operative locations relatively to the edge of its cooperating vane element, said means admitting also of positioning within predetermined limits the said orifice element in either of its discrete operative locations, the cuttingof action of the vaneY element `in one location being the reverse of Ythat in the other location. v

1l. In fluid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-waste type embodyingV a normally stationary orice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude of the condition controlled by said apparatus, a slotted carrying disk for the oriiice element, and clamping means passing through the slot of said disk for fixing the same in a selected position.

l2. In duid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-Waste type embodying a normally stationary oriiice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude of the condition controlled by said apparatus, a support for the couple, a carrying disk for the oriiice element having an arcuate slot, and a screw passing therethrough for xedly clamping to said support the carrying disk in any selected position within the limits of saidslot.

13. In duid-actuated controller apparatus: a control couple of the supply-and-waste type embodying a normally stationary orice element and a cooperating vane element oscillatable in response to changes in magnitude of the condition controlled by said apparatus, a support for the couple, having pairs of tapped openings, an

angularly movable carrying disk for the orice element having a pair of arcuate slots for juxtaposition, with respect to the tapped openings,

Vscrews ttingthrough the slots and adapted to CARLTON W. BRISTOL. 

